Valve for pneumatic devices



May 16, 1933- v El E. 'ro1vn= Ku\|s;v 1,909,921

VALVES FOR PNEUMATIC DEVICES Filed July 2, 1 930 lLUeILZOI/w `Patented May 16, .1933 i UNITED "S'I'A'IEsl PATENT OFFICE" ERNEST E. TOIPKINS, OF ABDIORE, PENNSYLVANIA VALVE FOR YNEUMATIO. DEVICES Application led July 2, 1930.' Serial No. 465,872.

My invention relates to a valve or pneumatic devices such as play balls, a1r cushions,

life preservers, and other devices made of rubber or the like, which may bel inilatedA and deflated at the will of the user.

The principal object'of my present invention is to provide -a simple and relatively inezzpensive form of valve for inflatable devices.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a valve which may be quickly and easily brought to the sealing condition, and which when so arranged will effectively prevent the escapeof air' from the interior of the device to which it is attached.

A further object of my invention is to provide a valve which will be characterized by the absence of protruding parts, when the device to which it is attached -is inflated.

i My invention will be more readily under'- stood from the following description, taken in' connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a valve embodying the main features of my present invention, the same being shown in connection with, a portion of the device to which it is attached, which may be, for eX- ample, a play ball;

u 2 is a top or plan view thereof;

Flg. 3 is-a view similar to Fig. 1, but

with the valve shown in the intermediate con'- dition, for the purpose of illustrating the manner of closing the same; l

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the valve shown in the closed or sealing condition; Fig. 5 is a top or plan view of the valve in the condition shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 's an underneath plan thereof; and Fig. 7 is a vertical central sectional/view, showing the preferred form of the valve as it is initially molded. a d., It will, of course, be understood that the *d drawing and description herein contained are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be ,made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention.'

' position in which it was originally formed, so

The valve device is preferably madei of j soft rubber,` and comprises a disk portion 10,

which is secured lby cementing or vulcanizing to .the outside of the pneumatic device 11, in connection with which the valve -is used. The disk portion 10 tapers to a thin edge, 55 thereby obviating any ridgeor shoulder at its periphery.

Extending from the disk portion 10 is a tube 12. The portion of the -tube 12 near the base thereof constitutes an envelope for the remaining portion of the tub'e when the same is in the closed condition, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The preferred form of the valve as it is initially molded is shown in Fig. 7 of the 65 drawing. It will 'be noted that the envelope portion 13 may be somewhat largerin diameter than the main p `rtion 12 thereof. and

` also somewhatlarger n diameter than the constricted opening 14 of the disk. 10.v Before 70 the valve is secured to thepneumatie device" in connection with which it is to be used, the tube portion 12, including the envelo e .portion 13 thereof, is pushed through t e constricted opening 14 of the disk 10 and turned 75 inside out, whereby the same assumes the shape shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Inthe use of the device, the article to which the same is attached is inflated by having air blown through the tube 12 of the valve. lThe lower portion of the tube is then temporarily squeezed, and the upper portion is rolled upon itself, startin from the outer end, until I it reaches the positlon shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The rolled up portionof the tube 12 is now pushed inwardly throughl the constricted aperture 14 in the disk portion 10, reversing the envelope portion 13 of the tube to the that the same extends inwardly with respect to the disk portion 10.. The rolled up portion ofthe tube will then be enclosedand tightly held bythe envelope portion 13, as shown in Figs. 4,- 5 and 6 of the drawing.

The envelope portion 13 ofthe tube will .be stretched when the main portion of the tube is rolled up within the same as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawing, thereby holding said rolled up portion'wlth sufficient 10 tension to prevent the escape of air from the interior of the device to which the valve is attached.

When itis desired to deflate the device, the

' device, a peculiar manipulation of the rolled up tube and its enclosing envelope will be required, and that it will be lvirtually impossible for the tube to be accidentall brought to the deating condition.

It will also be noted .that the valve in its closed or sealing condition is characterized by the absence of protruding' parts, such as flap laces and the like, which are very obs jectionable in connection with Valves for play balls, and are equally objectionable and uncomfortable when the valve is used for air pillows and similar devices.

` It will further be noted that the ressure existing within the device to which t e valve is attached will tend to maintain ,the seal in proportion to the amount of pressure exist-v lope yportion with the rolled u portion con tame sition. Y 3. An inatable article vhavin a tube through which the same may be in ated, said therein is pushed to t efsealing potube being of flexible material and havlng a A portion of a length whereby the same mayv valve being made entirely of iexible mate; ,-c rial and comprising a disk portion permanently secured to the device in connection with which the valve is used, ,a tube extending from said disk having a portion of a length whereby the same may be rolled upon itself to form a seal, said tube also having a structurally definedl envelope portion adjacent the disk portion, said diskv portion havinga constricted aperture through which the rolled up portion of the tube is adapted to be pushedv whereby the envelope may be reversed to extend entirely into the device and to hold the-rolled up portion of the tube therein and thereby maintain the seal.

2. An inflatable article having a tube through which the same may be iniiated said tube being of iexible material having a portion of a length whereby the same may be rolled upon itself to form a seal, and said tube having a structurally defined envelopeportion adjacent the surface of the article,

said envelope portion with the rolled up portlonv contained therein being disposed inwardly of the article when the tube is in the sealing position, and the article having a 55 constrlcted opening through which the enve- 

